News of: Tuesday, 3rd of July, 2012

Front Page

Finance Minister AMA Muhith said in parliament yesterday he believed former World Bank president Robert Zoellick had never taken into cognisance any of Bangladesh's proposals to end the stalemate over the Padma bridge project

What future awaits the Padma bridge? What price do we have to pay now that neither the World Bank nor the ADB will release funds for the project over allegations of corruption? How costly will the funds from alternative sources be?

The opposition BNP thinks Padma bridge project is still possible to be implemented using the World Bank's fund by reviving the loan agreement through taking stern actions against the corrupt persons in line with the information provided by the Bank.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday interrogated a local agent of SNC-Lavalin in connection with the alleged corruption in appointing the Canadian company as the consultant for Padma bridge project.

The ADB has said it is unable to finance the Padma bridge project after the lead co-financier World Bank pulled out of it, while Jica has made it known it will consult with the Japanese government before taking any decision.

In a bid to keep city footpaths free for public movement and ease traffic congestion on the streets, the LGRD ministry yesterday strictly directed the authorities concerned to remove all illegal roadside establishments, makeshift shops, banners and festoons within 24 hours.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday completed cross-examination of fifth prosecution witness Prafullah Ranjan Sinha in the case against BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in connection with crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War.

Five students including two female students of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) were attacked and assaulted yesterday by the activists of pro-Awami League Bangladesh Chhatra League for protesting alleged sexual abuse and blackmailing of a fellow student last month.

Seven people, including a lawmaker and deputy commissioner of Kurigram, were held by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) for an hour yesterday for mistakenly crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border on a boat.

Editorial

Though we are shocked and saddened by the fact that our dream of a bridge over Padma stands temporarily threatened by the WB's decision, yet we are glad to note that prospect of revival of the project still exists. At least that is what came out of the Finance Minister's press briefing on Sunday. It is very clear that the government is not closing the Padma Bridge chapter with the World Bank (WB) and wants the Bank to review its decision.

When the whole nation is reeling from the World Bank's cancellation of the Padma Bridge loan, we are perplexed by Communications Minister Obaidul Quader's promise to spring a 'surprise' on the Padma bridge project. While the finance minister expresses his hope that the WB should see fit to review its decision, Quader claims that alternative funding the cost of which would be cheaper than WB rates is being negotiated.

Sports

It is only right that a unique team, as Spain are, should stand alone in the pantheon. No international side has won three major tournaments in a row before, unless you count the Olympics in the 1920s and 1930s. Since Euro 2008 they have exerted a numbing superiority over every team they have played and even those who advocate Satan for a living might struggle to argue that Spain are not the strongest international side of all.

The excitement of the just-concluded European Championships is set to spill over to the domestic front today where all is poised for a mouthwatering finish to the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League when three-time champions Abahani and star-studded Muktijoddha Sangsad battle it out in the virtual championship-deciding match.

Young batsman Anamul Haque has made way for Shakib Al Hasan in one of two changes made by the selectors for the Tigers' tour to Europe later this month. Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday made the announcement of the 15-member squad for the Twenty20 matches to be played against Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.

Partnership opportunities must be created to build synergy in the process of establishing an enabling business climate for women entrepreneurs in the country, said the president of Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (BFWE) yesterday.

An annual international exhibition on textile and apparel technology, machinery and allied services -- 13th Textech Bangladesh-2012 International Expo -- begins at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital today.

Standard Chartered has launched an international advertising campaign over TV, print, outdoor and digital media to reinforce their commitment to a positive impact on the communities where they operate, the bank said in a statement yesterday.

It was time for departure. As our four-and-a-half-year son Yazdaan walked with me hand in hand, down the airport hallway to the car concourse at John F Kennedy Airport, New York, to join his waiting mother, uncle and aunt, I kept repeating, I'll be back soon. He kept on asking, how soon? Couple of days, I mustered to say. As soon as he got in the car, he dropped the window glass, reached out and grabbed my hand.

The country's nurses are lagging behind in their quality of work due to lack of continuous training on modern nursing methods and technology during their service period, health experts at a programme said yesterday.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials yesterday further interrogated Destiny Group Chairman Rafiqul Amin, also managing director of Destiny 2000 Ltd, over various allegations of irregularities and corruption in his organisations.

The government has taken an initiative to export over 30 lakh Bangladeshi workers to different labour markets in the next five years, Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told the parliament yesterday.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday deferred the date to July 15 for recording statements of the prosecution witnesses against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, an accused of war crimes.

Advocate Ashraf-Ul Alam of the daily Kaler Kantha and Advocate Anwarul Kabir Babul of the daily Jugantor have been elected the president and general secretary respectively of the Court Reporters' Association (CRA) for the period 2012-2013, said a press release yesterday.

Language Movement veteran Abdul Matin and noted academician Professor Emeritus Dr Anisuzzaman of Dhaka University have been nominated for the Geetanjali Honorary Award 2012 for their contribution in the country's arts, literature, and culture.

The High Court yesterday granted ad interim bail for six months to eight leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organisations in a case filed for killing a driver in the capital in April this year.

Former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will arrive here tomorrow on a two-day visit to attend the 33rd Foundation Day Celebration of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (Cirdap).

The National Birth Registration Day will be observed across the country today as President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appreciated initiatives for easing birth records process through online registrations.

A mobile court in separate drives yesterday sealed off a vermicelli and a salt factories and fined them Tk 1 lakh for running their activities in unhygienic environment in Chaktai Rajakhali area of Chittagong city.

National

Students of five more schools in Dinajpur, Jhenidah and Faridpur districts yesterday took part in joyful events at English language fairs held under English in Schools programme, a joint initiative of The Daily Star and mobile operator Robi.

Seven union parishad (UP) chairmen in Biswanath upazila, charge-sheeted in a case for vandalising public property at the upazila headquarters during BNP enforced hartal on April 23, have been suspended.

Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has drafted a bill calling for Iran to try to stop oil tankers from shipping crude through the Strait of Hormuz to countries that support sanctions against it, a committee member said yesterday.

Libya yesterday freed four officials from the International Court (ICC) whose detention since early June on spying allegations had plunged the interim government into its biggest diplomatic controversy since last year's revolution.

Arts & Entertainment

Athena Gallery of Fine Arts, a newly opened art gallery in North Badda, Dhaka, has a great collection of paintings. The collection comprises works by master artists of the country. Nilu Murshed, CEO of the gallery, is a well-known art collector. She has been collecting artworks for over 40 years.

Apurba's career in TV plays and modelling spans only a few years, but during this period, he has carved a niche for himself as a romantic hero. Apurba has worked with every popular actress on the scene. Although acting takes up most of his time, he is also preparing to become a director. His primary goal will remain acting, while the direction gigs will be undertaken out of personal interest.

On June 23, Melbourne's 'Srotar Ashor' organisation staged the third of its annual events, presenting music and poetry to commemorate the arrival of the Borsha season. As the curtain was raised at the Chandler Community Centre for the commencement of “Badol Din-er Prothom Kodom Phul”, the audience was treated to a digital display of torrents, which made up the backdrop to a stage decorated with umbrellas and floral arrangement. What followed was a two and a half hour presentation of much-loved Bengali songs and poetry, set to a symphonic arrangement of guitar, piano, keyboard and tabla. The theme of the evening was monsoon, and the programme served not only as a celebration of the rainy season, but also as a tribute to Bangladesh's rich culture. Compilimentary hot tea was provided during the intermission, as well as enough jhalmuri to feed 300 patrons, contributing to the festive mood.

OP-ED

The road to promulgation for a generally acceptable education policy has been a long one. Attempts have been made to do so in different decades, none of which made it to enactment: the Hamoodur Commission Report in the '60s, Qudrat-i-Khuda report in the early '70s, education policy in the early '80s during H.M. Ershad's regime all failed for one reason or another. The present government promulgated the Education Policy in 2010. This in itself is a major milestone for the government.

Last week in Cairo, a historic ceremony took place. Mr. Mohammed Morsi of the Freedom and Justice Party of Egypt (the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood), was sworn in as the new Egyptian president. With this swearing-in, Egypt has pole-vaulted into a new political age.

It is a sad state of affairs when an entire nation has to suffer for the actions of just a few. The World Bank has claimed to have found credible evidence of a high-level corruption conspiracy among selected government officials involved in the Padma Bridge project.

Syed Badrul Ahsan ended his article on the above subject (The Daily Star June 27, '12) with these two sentences -- "False history was what we lived through between 1975 and 1996. Must we go through that dark tunnel again?" Most certainly not. And that is why I should like to point out to, what I think to be some factual inaccuracies, errors and misinterpretations in what Mr. Ahsan wrote in response to the comments of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the acting Secretary General of BNP, about Awami League's support for unconstitutional military regime.

In a move that should quieten, at least for the time being, the chorus of liberal-minded cynics who call Pakistan a failed or failing state, its Supreme Court has established that the rule of law does prevail. Last week, the court disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from holding a seat in Parliament from the date of his contempt of court conviction on April 26. This was for having failed to pursue corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chairman of the ruling Pakistan People's Party. This dramatic denouement would have been unnecessary had Pakistan's National Assembly acted on the earlier court ruling. Given its refusal to do so -- with the Speaker declaring that Gilani was not disqualified despite his conviction for contempt of court -- the court has stepped in to make the ambit of its authority clear.